UK Raises Terror Threat to ‘Severe’ Following Golders Green Attack

The United Kingdom has officially raised its national terrorism threat level to “severe” following a series of violent incidents targeting the Jewish community, culminating in a double stabbing in Golders Green. The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) confirmed Thursday that the threat level—which signifies that an act of terrorism is now “highly likely”—has been elevated from its previous status of “substantial.”

The escalation follows the stabbing of two Jewish men in north London on Wednesday. The suspect, identified as 45-year-old British national Essa Suleiman, remains in custody. Metropolitan Police confirmed that Suleiman, who was born in Somalia and arrived in the UK as a child in the 1990s, had been referred to the government’s “Prevent” anti-extremism program in 2020, though his case was closed later that same year.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the move alongside increased funding for security at synagogues, schools, and community centers. “Yesterday’s abhorrent, antisemitic attack was a vile act of terrorism,” Mahmood said. “As the threat level rises, I urge everyone to be vigilant.”

Amid the national crisis, Green Party leader Zack Polanski has faced a sharp public rebuke from Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley. Polanski drew condemnation from across the political spectrum after retweeting an online post that accused responding officers—who utilized a Taser to neutralize the attacker—of being “heavy-handed” and “violently kicking” an incapacitated suspect.

“Apprehending violent and dangerous criminals is a full contact and messy task which may appear shocking to observers with little experience of policing in the real world.”

— Sir Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police Commissioner

In a formal letter to the Green leader, Sir Mark warned that such rhetoric from a public figure would have a “chilling effect” on frontline policing. The rebuke follows a pattern of strained relations between Polanski and law enforcement; the Green leader previously faced criticism in 2024 for celebrating the acquittal of Palestine Action activists despite the fact that an officer had been struck with a sledgehammer during the underlying incident. While a Green Party spokesperson noted that Polanski’s intent was to understand the full circumstances of the Golders Green arrest, the post was labeled “inaccurate and misinformed” by Scotland Yard.

The political fallout intensified as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faced heckling during a visit to the site of the attack. Addressing the nation, the Prime Minister emphasized the severity of the atmosphere, urging the public to acknowledge the “pain, suffering and fear” currently felt by British Jews. The “severe” designation is the second-highest level in the UK’s threat system and was last active in late 2021 following the Liverpool Women’s Hospital bombing.

As security forces maintain a heightened presence, the government maintains that its primary focus remains preventing further radicalization and securing the safety of the Jewish community against a backdrop of increasing anti-Semitic violence.